Chicken Lo Mein

Recipe courtesy Kraft Magazine

1/2 lb spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing - I used the low fat dressing and it was still really good
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed, drained - I used a fresh green pepper and onion. I think it made it a lot better
1/2 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped Peanuts

Cook spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package.
If using fresh vegetables - slice the onion and green pepper. Saute with a little bit of oil until onion is soft. Pour on a plate and set aside.
Heat dressing in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add vegetables, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry an additional 3 to 4 min or until meat is cooked through.
Drain spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix well. Spoon onto serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.

Easy Shepherds Pie

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can cut green beans, drained
1 can tomato soup
6 potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef in a saute pan. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Saute until onion is tender. Put meat mixture into the bottom of a greased 9X13 pan. I use a smaller pan so the layers are a little thicker. Pour the green beans on top of the meat mixture and then spread the tomato soup over the beans. Combine the mashed potatoes with milk and salt. Mix well. Spread the potatoes on top of the tomato soup. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Eclair Cake

This is my all time favorite dessert. Growing up this is always the dessert that I would choose for my birthday cake. It is fabulous!

1 box graham crackers
2 small packages vanilla instant pudding
1 8 oz container cool whip
3 1/2 cups milk

Spray a 13X9 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Layer the bottom of the pan with graham crackers.

Mix pudding with milk. Fold in cool whip. Pour half of the pudding mixture on top of the graham crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers.


Pour the rest of the pudding mixture on top of the graham crackers, and then add another layer of graham crackers. Top with chocolate frosting. Refrigerate until ready to serve. This recipe is best the longer it sets. So I always make it the night before. You could probably make it the morning of, but I would at least let it refrigerate for 6-8 hours before serving. When serving you can put a dollop of whip cream on the top also.

Chocolate Frosting
3 T cocoa
3 T butter, at room temperature
3 T warm milk
vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


This is not the greatest picture, but it lets you see the layers.

Pasta with Ham, Peas, and Cream

Brad and I love the TV show Top Chef. On one of the recent episodes the contestants had to re-create some famous Chef's choices for their last meals. So I asked Brad what his last meal that I cook would be. I thought that I knew the answer, chicken casserole, but I was completely surprised when he chose this recipe. I really do like this recipe. It is so quick and easy that I usually just throw it together whenever I have nothing else to make, not realizing it is one of Brad's favorite.



1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (If frozen I put in the microwave for about 1 minute)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (I use salted butter and leave out the 1/4 tsp salt)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I leave these out)
1 cup ham, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 lb linguine, fettucine or other long pasta (I actually use the bow tie pasta)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or more to taste (I always add more)

Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. While that cooks melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Add ham and cook 1 minute. Stir in peas, cream, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to low; keep warm, stirring occasionally, while pasta is cooking. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of cooking water.
Toss pasta with butter mixture (if it seems too dry, add a little of the reserved cooking water - I have never had to do this). Add Parmesan and toss. Serve immediately.

Chicken-Club-Stuffed Potatoes

Recipe courtesy Southern Living



4 large baking potatoes
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
8 bacon slices
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp minced onion
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Clean and pat dry potatoes. Rub potatoes evenly with oil; sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees directly on top of the oven rack for 55 minutes or until potatoes are tender and skin is crisp.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat 7 to 10 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon.

When potatoes are cooked, cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop pulp into a large bowl, leaving shells intact. Stir together pulp, bacon, chicken, 3/4 cup Cheddar and Swiss cheese, and next 3 ingredients.

Spoon mixture into shells; sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Cake Doughnuts

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmet
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Cooking oil for deep-fat frying

Combine dry ingredients. Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add milk and melted butter and beat with an electric mixer about 3 minutes. Add enough flour mixture to beat in with electric mixer. Stir in remaining flour mixture by hand. Cover dough and chill 2 hours. Turn onto lightly floured surface. Roll to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter, dipping cutter into flour between cuts. Reroll as necessary. Fry doughnuts, two or three at a time, in deep hot fat (375 degrees)about 1 minute on each side or until golden, turning once with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with doughnut holes.

For chocolate cake doughnuts, replace spices with 1/2 cup cocoa powder.

For sugar doughnuts after cooking, shake warm doughnuts in a bag with granulated sugar.

For powdered sugar doughnuts, wait until doughnuts are completely cooled, then shake in a bag with powdered sugar.

I got the recipe for a chocolate glaze off of the internet, and I really didn't like it, so you are on your own for finding a chocolate glaze.

Chicken Devan

I have two Chicken Devan recipes that I like. The first is my favorite. It is a Paula Dean recipe and is fabulous. The second I also like and it has a lot less ingredients - so if I am in a hurry, that is the one that I make.



Paula Dean's Chicken Devan

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
6 cups shredded chicken, cooked (I probably don't use quite this much)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I use one cream of mushroom and 1 cream of chicken, both are the 98% fat free)
1 cup mayonnaise (I use the 1/3 less fat)
1 cup sour cream (I use lite)
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Defrost the broccoli and drain any excess water. Put into a greased 9X13 casserole dish. Put the shredded chicken on top of the broccoli.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayo, sour cream, cheddar cheese, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce.

Pour the mixture on top of the broccoli and chicken. Smooth with a spatula. In another bowl combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and then sprinkle on the top.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes. Serve over rice.


Easy Chicken Devan

1 large bag broccoli
3 cups shredded chicken
2 cans cream of chicken
1 cup mayo
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend soup, mayo and lemon juice. Spread broccoli in a greased 9X13 inch pan. Put chicken on top. Cover with soup mixture. Grate cheese over the top and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve over rice.

Chile Verde

Recipe Courtesy Sisters Cafe
For Christmas Brad's mom gave me a Cast Iron Pot that I was excited to use. I decided this would be a great recipe to try it out on. The pork was great - it was very moist and tender.



3 pounds pork roast, fat removed as much as possible (*If using a roast any larger than 3 lbs, I always double the remaining ingredients)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 10oz can green enchilada sauce
1 4oz can diced green chilis
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with chilis
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp pepper

In a large heavy pot, over medium heat, brown meat, then add onion and garlic and saute a few minutes. You can either stir in the rest of the ingredients if you are using a cast iron pot or you can place the meat and onion along with all other ingredients in a crockpot. In the crockpot cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. I cooked mine in the cast iron pot at 250 degrees for about 5-6 hours or you could cook at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. When the meat is cooked, remove from pot and shred. Then put back in and mix with the juices. Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes, lettuce and anything else that sounds good.

Stromboli

This recipe comes from my mom. It was one of my favorites growing up. It's really easy and good. One day I want to make it with homemade bread dough...we'll see if that ever happens.


Frozen bread dough, defrosted
Pizza Sauce
Cheese
Favorite pizza toppings

Roll defrosted bread dough into a rectangle. I usually take the dough out the night before and spray Pam on Saran Wrap and wrap the dough in it and put it in the refrigerator until I'm ready to use it the next night. Then I let it sit out for 10-15 minutes so it's not so cold and will roll out easier.


Put your pizza sauce and all ingredients down the center of the dough.


Make 1 1/2 inch cuts in the dough from the edge to 1/4 inch away from the ingredients in the center. See picture above.

Criss cross the dough over the ingredients. I pinch the edges closed because if you don't the ingredients usually spill out the end.


Transfer to a greased baking sheet - this might require 4 hands so you don't loose everything out of the center. Let rise 30 minutes (although I usually skip this step because we are too impatient). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or unti lightly brown. You can brush the top with melted butter if desired.

Meatball Subs

I got this recipe off of the blog Kitchen Cafe. We really enjoyed them. The meatballs were a little too seasoned for me so the next time I make them I will probably add a little less oregano and basil. Brad did not agree with me, he liked them how they were.

Meatballs:
1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup fresh parsley
3 eggs beaten separate then added
2 T dried oregano
1 T minced garlic
1 T salt
1 T ground black pepper
2 t dried basil
1 t red pepper flakes
2 pounds ground beef

Mix all of the ingredients first, then add meat and mix well. Form golf ball-sized meatballs. Bake 450 for 20-25 minutes. Makes 25-30 meatballs.

Sauce:
2 can crushed tomatoes
Sprinkle basil, oregano, red pepper, garlic (whatever you prefer)
Add cooked meatballs, let sauce warm up.

Buns: Put meatballs on bun and add a slice of mozzarella. Bake at 400 for 5-6 minutes until the cheese and bun are nicely toasted.